Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
1. This Office Action is in response to an amendment filed on 5/06/2026.
2. This is a Final Office Action on the merit. Claims 1-9, and 11-20 are pending wherein claims 1-3, 9, 11-17 are amended; and claim 10 was canceled.
Response
3. Since independent claims are amended; new grounds of rejections are presented. Applicant’s argument are moot. The examiner withdraws previous rejections on 35 USC 101, 103, and 112(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 USC. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained. notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner m which the invention was made.
4. Claims 1, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over of Isami et al (US 20250153578 A1 – hereafter “Isami’578”) in view of Wang et al (CN 116358579 A, hereafter “Wang’579”), further in view of Perkin’349 (US Pub. 20190152349 A1).
Isami’578 suggests about a computer comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:
classify an operator of a vehicle as a new operator of the vehicle based on use of at least one nondriving feature of the vehicle by the operator (“...the controller 101 can identify the new driver ” see Isami’578 para. [0085]) in response to the operator being a new operator of the vehicle’
Isami’578 is silent about actuate/change a user interface of the vehicle to convey an instruction to the operator about using a different feature of the vehicle than the at least one non-driving feature (e.g., via actuating a user interface – visual/audio; however, Wang’579 suggests about using GPS map to display/guiding/using specific routes for a “new driver” destination (i.e., a different “working” address/destination) via audio/video display – see Wang’579 pg. 16, 3rd paragraph.) (THEN more instructions to guide/explain how to save/use a specific route) or store it in car’s memory for future use).
Applicant adds a feature of classifying/identifying a driver based on using a stored seat position; Perkin’349 already suggests this feature (see Perkin’349 para. [0042], [0055]), if the user is experienced/known operator, there is no need to display how to store a seat position (e.g., additional features) – this has been very obvious step to save time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 with Wang’579 to using familiar Google drive via GPS to display/guiding/using specific routes for a specific destination because Wang’579 teaches about assisting a driver with geographical map’s using instruction/guiding would predict a fastest/shortest way to arrive at a particular destination of a new driver – this approach to recognize a personal using habit has been successfully done in reality to recognize a driver (see Wang’579 pg. 14, 3rd paragraph).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 with Perkin’349 because storing a seat position allows for rapid configuration in the vehicles that have already been configured by the operator (see Perkin’349, para. [0044]) - – which retrieving a stored configuration has been a successful expectation.
5. Claims 2-3, 13-14, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, in view of Perkin’349 and in view of Chen et al – US Pub 20140207342 A1 or in view of Lan’501 - CN 117627501 A).
The rationales and references for a rejection of claim 1 are incorporated.
A .Per claims 2 and 16: Applicant claims about storing a new seat position of a seat of the vehicle; Chen suggests this feature (see Chen’342 para. [0052]) or Lan’501 suggests storing a new device as a seat position, and storing a new device: a digital key (see Lan’501 “Exemplary users of the vehicle may include, for example, owners of vehicle owners, vehicle keys (such as a digital key) owners of the vehicle. The associated user of the vehicle ' s logged account number may also be the driver of the vehicle or other member located within the vehicle ' s cabin, or the like, when the vehicle is in the running state, or before the parking state).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578, Wang’579, Perkin’349 with Chen’342 (or with Lan’501) to store a driver’s ID for later faster vehicle’s seat setting by quickly recognize a user identification – which task has been a successful expectation.
B. Per claims 3, and 17: Lan’501 also suggest using instructions to
classify the operator as a new operator of the vehicle based on a summation of the uses of the at
least one nondriving feature e.g., storing a new seat position, (see Perkin’349 para.[0042],[0055]) and storing a new device as a digital key: (see Lan’501 “Exemplary users of the vehicle may include, for example, owners of vehicle owners, vehicle keys (such as remote keys, digital keys, etc.) owners of the vehicle. The associated user of the vehicle ' s logged account number may also be the driver of the vehicle”.
C. Per claim 13: The rationales and references for rejection of claim 1 are incorporated.
Lan’501 also suggest about:
- storing a digital key (see Lan’501 “Exemplary users of the vehicle may include, for example, owners of vehicle owners, vehicle keys (such as remote keys, digital keys, etc.) owners of the vehicle. The associated user of the vehicle ' s logged account number may also be the driver of the vehicle or other member located within the vehicle ' s cabin, or the like, when the vehicle is in the running state, or before the parking state”).
D. Per claim 14: Lan’501 also suggest about: storing a new entry code/language [for unlocking the vehicle, see LAN’501 “The associated user of the vehicle ' s logged account number may also be the driver of the vehicle”].
This has been a deterrence for a vehicle’s safety measurement.
6. Claims 4-5 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, in view of Perkin’349, in view of Lan’501, and in view of Saberwal‘418 US Pub 20220063418 A1).
The rationales and references for a rejection of claim 3 are incorporated.
Per claims 4, and 18: Applicant claims that a nondriving feature includes a plurality of nondriving features; and the summation is a weighted sum of the respective uses of the respective nondriving features (e.g., a new driver is stored with discrete digital key as suggested by Lan’501 or see Saberwal‘418 para. [0018} “The controls 100 may determine the representative one of the motor speed sensors based on three main factors: (1) a variance of the motor speed signal; (2) a noise content of the motor speed signal; and (3) the selection of the representative speed sensor based on a weighted summation of the accumulated points assigned to each of the signals in parts 1 and 2 for a predetermined sampling duration.” (a definition of a weighted number/summation by Saberwal‘418) .
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, Perkin’s 349, with Lan’501 or with Saberwal’418 to guarantee a correct determination by integrating multiple features into a consideration.
Per claims 5-6, and 19-20: Applicant claims that classifying the operator as a new operator of the vehicle in response to the summation exceeding a threshold (e.g., determination a new driver from a clear level/range of indication – this is a designer’s choice according to applicant’s definition: a summation is limited to the uses of the at least one nondriving feature [e.g., determining a new driver by using a digital key – see claim 2 for a reference set forth).
7. Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, in view of Perkin’349, in view of XING (CN 106740131 B hereafter XING’131).
The rationales and references for a rejection of claim 1 are incorporated.
Per claim 7: Applicant claims a familiar feature of transmit data indicating usage of the different feature by the operator to a server remote from the vehicle (e.g., transmit data relating to a trip destination/distance), the usage of the different feature being after the operator received the instruction (e.g., for a well-known status report).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, and Perkin’349 with XING’131B for saving time from searching a multiple of time a similar Google Map address.
Per claim 8: XING’131 also suggests a claimed feature of transmitting the data to the server on a periodic basis (e.g., see XING’131 “FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram of a second embodiment of monitoring system of electric automobile battery specifically implementation manner of the invention is provided in an amount, as shown in FIG. 17, judging whether the residual electric quantity of the battery is too low on the monitoring server, the user terminal the monitoring system comprising: a monitoring server 2000, 2000 monitoring device connected with the monitoring server 1000, and the monitoring server 2000 connection 3000. wherein, the monitoring device 1000 comprises: an acquisition unit 1, a first estimation unit 2, the second evaluation unit 3 and a sending unit 5. current parameter information wherein the collecting unit 1 for periodically collecting battery and an open circuit voltage parameter information, a first estimation unit 2 for first charge state using ampere-estimating battery according to the current parameter information, a second estimation unit 3 according to the second charged state estimating battery open circuit voltage parameter information using open-circuit voltage method, and a sending unit 5 for the first charge state and the second charge state is transmitted to the monitoring server 2000. monitoring server 2000 comprises a receiving unit 10, a monitoring unit 20 and a sending unit 30, wherein the receiving unit 10 for the first charge state and the second charge state from the monitoring device 1000 receives cells, wherein the first charge state is the monitoring apparatus 1000 according to the current parameter information estimated using the ampere, the second charge state is the monitoring apparatus 1000. The open circuit voltage parameter information using the estimated open-circuit voltage method; the current parameter information of the monitoring device 1000 and open circuit voltage of periodically collecting battery parameter information, monitoring unit 20 for generating first alarm instruction according to the first charge state and the second charge state, and a sending unit 30 for sending alarm signal to monitoring device 1000 or/and the user terminal 3000 according to the first alarm instruction. the monitoring device 1000 for receiving the alarm signal sent by the monitoring server 2000, the user terminal 3000 is used for receiving the alarm signal sent by the monitoring server 2000.”or “maintenance is required” instruction is).
C. Per dependent claim 9: Isami’578 in view of Wang’579 suggests that in response to a condition being satisfied, reclassify the operator (e.g., determining a vehicle’s current driver to see that driver is familiar with a vehicle to guide/assist or not need to display/guiding to an old/familiar address).
8. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, in view of Perkin’349, and in view of Liu et al (CN 116856823 A – hereafter Liu’823).
The rationales and references for a rejection of claim 1 are incorporated.
Applicant claims a feature of changing a language used by the user interface; Liu’823 suggests it (see Liu ‘823 “The voice broadcaster can pre-set the broadcast language, and the controller sends the corresponding control instruction to start the corresponding language to broadcast so as to realize the reminding function.”.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, in view of Perkin’349, with Liu’823 to change a language to listen to a pleasant voice/language while driving to understand well received instructions.
9. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Isami’578 in view of Wang’579, Perkin’349, and in view of KWON MUNSOON (KR 20230162861 - hereafter Kwon’861).
The rationales and references for a rejection of claim 1 are incorporated.
Applicant claims about: disabling a rear seat occupancy alert (e.g., a seatbelt warning light); Kwon’861 suggests this feature (e.g., turning OFF a warning light in a vehicle’s dashboard, see KWON’861 “As shown in Figure 1, the interior of the vehicle body is arranged on the seats 31 (31a, 31b) on which the occupants sit, the dashboard 32, and the tachometer, speedometer, coolant temperature gauge, and fuel gauge. , a cluster 33 in which a turn indicator light, a high beam indicator light, a warning light, a seat belt warning light, an odometer, an odometer, a shift lever indicator light, a door open warning light, an engine oil warning light, and a low fuel warning light are disposed, and an air conditioner. A center fascia 34 equipped with an air vent and a control panel, a head unit 35 provided in the center fascia and receiving operation commands for electrical components such as an audio device and an air conditioner, and a head unit 35 provided in the center fascia receiving a start command. Contains a start button (also called boot button, 36).”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Isami’578 in view of Wang’579 with Kwon’861 to avoid a distraction while driving by turning off a seat belt warning light – this has been a familiar light control in a vehicle.
Conclusion
10. Pending claims 1-9, and 11-20 are rejected.
11. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Cuong H Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-6759 (email address is cuong.nguyen@uspto.gov). The examiner can normally be reached on M - F: 9:30AM- 5:30PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BENDIDI RACHID can be reached on (571) 272-4896. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only, For more information about the PAIR system, see https//ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll- free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CUONG H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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